Active pump bronchial implant devices and methods of use thereof

• US 20030127090A1
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pulmonx Pulmonx
• Original Assignee: Emphasys Medical, Inc. (Pulmonx Corp.)
• Inventors: Fields, Antony J., McCutcheon, John G., Gifford, Hanson S.
• Application Number:
  US10/298,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20030127090A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/043 Bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/04 implanted
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1035 Bronchi

Abstract

Disclosed is a pump device that can be implanted into a body passageway, such as into a bronchial passageway. The pump device can be used to pump fluid through the body passageway, such as in order to assist the expiration of fluid from a region of the lung that fluidly communicates with the body passageway. The pump device includes a housing that defines an internal chamber, wherein fluid can flow through the chamber. The housing is dimensioned for insertion into a bronchial passageway. The pump device also includes a fluid propulsion mechanism in fluid communication with the chamber. The fluid propulsion mechanism is positioned to propel fluid through the chamber so as to pump fluid through the bronchial passageway in a desired direction.

Claims

1. An implantable pump for assisting expiration of fluid from a lung, comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, the housing dimensioned for implantation in a bronchial lumen;

a fluid propulsion mechanism attached to the housing in fluid communication with the chamber, the fluid propulsion mechanism positioned to propel fluid through the chamber;

a retainer coupled to the housing and configured to engage a wall of the bronchial lumen to maintain the pump in a fixed position within the bronchial lumen.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises a fan.

3. The pump of claim 1, wherein the propulsion mechanism alters the volume of the chamber to force fluid into and out of the chamber.

4. The pump of claim 3, wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises a bellows that expands and contracts to alter the volume of the chamber.

5. The pump of claim 3, wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises a plunger movably mounted in the chamber, wherein the plunger moves within the chamber to vary the volume of the chamber.

6. The pump of claim 3, wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises a temperature sensitive material that changes shape to alter the volume of the chamber in response to a change in temperature.

7. The pump of claim 1, further comprising a first one-way valve attached to the housing and in fluid communication with the chamber.

8. The pump of claim 7, further comprising a second one-way valve attached to the housing and in fluid communication with the chamber.

9. The pump of claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism coupled to the propulsion mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism interacts with the propulsion mechanism to cause the propulsion mechanism to propel fluid through the chamber.

10. The pump of claim 9, wherein the drive mechanism includes a magnet that can be exposed to a magnetic force to cause the propulsion mechanism to propel fluid through the chamber.

11. The pump of claim 9, wherein the drive mechanism includes a shape-memory material.

12. The pump of claim 9, wherein the drive mechanism utilizes a change in temperature to cause the propulsion mechanism to propel fluid through the chamber.

13. The pump of claim 1, further comprising a power supply coupled to the propulsion mechanism to provide power to the propulsion mechanism.

14. The pump of claim 13, wherein the power supply comprises an electric battery.

15. The pump of claim 13, wherein the power supply comprises a patient'"'"'s muscular system.

16. The pump of claim 13, wherein the power supply comprises gravity.

17. The pump of claim 1, wherein the pump can be reduced in size to facilitate insertion of the pump into the bronchial lumen.

18. The pump of claim 1, wherein the retainer comprises a stent.

19. The pump of claim 18, wherein the stent is self-expanding.

20. The pump of claim 1, additionally comprising a seal attached to the housing, wherein the seal has a surface that can seal to an interior wall of the bronchial lumen.

21. A pump device for intracorporeal placement in an intracorporeal lumen of a patient, comprising:

a body portion having proximal and distal sections, the body portion forming a chamber;

an outside sealing member attached to the body portion, the sealing member including an outside sealing surface configured to seal to the intracorporeal lumen and separate the intracorporeal lumen into proximal and distal volumes;

a first one-way valve member attached to the body portion and in fluid communication with the chamber and configured to allow fluid flow out of the chamber, and into the proximal volume of the intracorporeal lumen;

a second one-way valve member attached to the body portion and in fluid communication with the chamber and configured to allow fluid flow into the chamber from the distal volume of the intracorporeal lumen, wherein the first and second one-way valve members cooperatively allow unidirectional flow through the chamber; and

an actuation member coupled to the chamber and configured to alter the chamber volume to effect a pumping action from the distal volume of the intracorporeal lumen to the proximal volume of the intracorporeal lumen.

22. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the body portion comprises a tubular member.

23. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is a temperature responsive shape-memory material, a magnetically responsive material or one or more movable weights.

24. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is intrinsically driven.

25. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is extrinsically driven.

26. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the body portion includes a bellows disposed about the chamber, wherein the bellows can expand and contract between an expanded state wherein the chamber has a first volume, and a contracted state wherein the chamber has a second volume that is smaller than the first volume.

27. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is a temperature-sensitive shape-memory member disposed circumferentially about the chamber and responsive to temperature changes within the lumen.

28. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member can constrict to effect the alteration of the chamber volume which effects a pressure change between the chamber and the proximal volume of the lumen.

29. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member can constrict to effect the alteration of the chamber volume which effects a pressure change between the chamber and the distal volume of the lumen.

30. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member can expand to effect the alteration of the chamber volume which effects a pressure change between the chamber and the distal volume of the lumen.

31. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is responsive to the mechanics of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle.

32. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the first and second valve members are selected from the group consisting of poppet, ball, duckbill, Heimlich, flap, diaphragm, and leaflet.

33. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is comprised of one or more magnets disposed about the chamber.

34. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is further comprised of one or more ferrous metal elements disposed about the chamber.

35. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is comprised of one or more magnets disposed about the chamber and one or more ferrous elements disposed about the chamber.

36. The pump device of claim 33, wherein the magnets are positioned to compress or expand the chamber in response to an extrinsic magnetic force.

37. The pump device of claim 34, wherein the ferrous elements are positioned to compress or expand the chamber in response to an extrinsic magnetic force.

38. The pump device of claim 35, wherein the one or more magnets and the one or more ferrous metal elements are positioned to compress or expand the chamber in response to an extrinsic magnetic force.

39. The pump device of claim 33, wherein the magnets are positioned such that they are of similar polarity internally relative to a longitudinal axis of the chamber.

40. The pump device of claim 34, wherein one or more ferrous elements are placed in opposing positions relative to a longitudinal axis of the chamber.

41. The pump device of claim 35, wherein the one or more ferrous elements is positioned opposite the one or more magnets and proximal to a desired site for the application of the extrinsic magnetic force.

42. The pump device of claim 21, wherein the actuation member is a movable weight disposed about the chamber that intermittently compresses the chamber.

43. The pump device of claim 42, wherein the weight is moved in response to respirations of the patient.

44. An implantable pump for assisting expiration of fluid from a lung, comprising:

a housing dimensioned for implantation in a bronchial lumen;

means for pumping fluid through the bronchial lumen, the means for pumping attached to the housing;

a retainer coupled to the housing and configured to engage a wall of the bronchial lumen to maintain the pump in a fixed position within the bronchial lumen.

45. The pump of claim 44, wherein the means for pumping comprises an impeller.

46. A method of assisting expiration from a patient'"'"'s lung, comprising:

implanting a pump into a bronchial lumen that fluidly communicates with the lung;

operating the pump so that the pump causes gas to flow out of the patient'"'"'s lung through the bronchial lumen while the pump is positioned within the bronchial lumen.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein operating the pump comprises applying a magnetic force to the pump so that the magnetic force moves a magnet of the pump so as to change an internal volume of a pump chamber to effect a pumping force that propels fluid through the pump.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein operating the pump comprises causing a bellows of the pump to expand and contract so as to change an internal volume of a pump chamber to effect a pumping force that propels fluid through the pump.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein operating the pump comprises applying a temperature change to the pump to cause a temperature-sensitive material of the pump to change shape so as to change an internal volume of a pump chamber to effect a pumping force that propels fluid through the pump.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein operating the pump comprises causing a fan of the pump to rotate and propel fluid through the pump.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein operating the pump comprises causing a plunger to move within an internal chamber of the pump to effect a pumping force that propels fluid through the pump.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein the pump is implanted using a delivery device that is inserted into the bronchial lumen through a trachea attached to the lumen.

53. The method of claim 46, wherein the delivery device is inserted through a working channel of a bronchoscope.

54. The method of claim 46, wherein the pump causes gas to flow out of the patient'"'"'s lung in synchronization with the patient'"'"'s breathing.

55. The method of claim 54, additionally comprising sensing movement of the patient'"'"'s chest wall in order to synchronize with the patient'"'"'s breathing.

56. The method of claim 54, additionally comprising sensing the patient'"'"'s nerve impulses in order to synchronize with the patient'"'"'s breathing.

57. The method of claim 54, additionally comprising sensing the a gas concentration of the lung in order to synchronize with the patient'"'"'s breathing.

58. A method for the removal of fluid within an intracorporeal lumen or lung segment, the method comprising:

providing an intracorporeal pump device;

advancing the intracorporeal pump through a patient'"'"'s pulmonary system;

placing the pump device within a bronchial lumen such that the pump device seals within the bronchial lumen; and

actuating the device to effect a unidirectional movement of fluid flow through the device in an expiratory direction from an internal segment of the lung.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein actuating the device is accomplished by producing a volume change in the chamber that allows the unidirectional movement of fluid flow through the chamber in an expiratory direction from an internal segment of the lung.

60. The method of claim 58, additionally comprising effecting a temperature change in the actuation member by heating or cooling the actuation member with air breathed by the patient.

61. The method of claim 60, additionally comprising placing an external magnetic source proximal to a chest wall of the patient to actuate the actuation member.

62. The method of claim 61, additionally comprising removing and replacing the external magnetic source in a cyclic manner.

63. The method of claim 61, additionally comprising reversing the polarity of the external magnetic source in a cyclic manner.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein the magnetic source is an electromagnet and wherein the method further comprises switching the electromagnet power source in a cyclic manner.

65. The method of claim 58, wherein the pump device comprises:

a body portion which forms a chamber and which has an outside sealing surface configured to seal the intracorporeal lumen;

a first valve member sealed to the body portion in fluid communication with the chamber configured to allow fluid flow out of but not into the chamber;

a second valve member sealed to the body portion, the sealing surface configured to allow fluid flow into but not out of the chamber, wherein the valves are positioned to cooperatively allow fluid flow through the chamber in a unilateral direction.

66. A method as defined in claim 65, additionally comprising:

increasing pressure in the lung to substantially increase pressure in both a proximal lumen portion and a distal lung segment to force air into the chamber; and

removing the pressure increase to allow fluid to flow from the chamber through the proximal valve.